Apparatus for complete washing of a container



Nov. 5, `19757 HIDEo TATIBANA 2,811,975 'APPARATUS FOR COMPLETE WASHINGOF'A CONTAINER- Filed sept. 11. 195s *i @Il PQESSUQE.

Memum EQURCE.

United States Patent O APPARATUS FOR COMPLETE WASHING OF A CONTAINER Hideo Tatibana, Nakano-Ku, Tokyo, Japan Application September 11, 1953,Serial No.7379,621 Claims priority, application `Japan September 12,1952 Claims. (Cl. 134-102) The present invention relates to devices, forthe complete washing, by ejector action, of liquid containers, and inparticular, of glass bottles, ampoules and the like.`

To avoid the dii-culties inherent in using brushes for washingliquidcontainers such as glass bottles, ampoules and the like, there hasbeen employed a known spouting method. The known method has, however,been defective in that the spouting apparatus limits the hydraulicpressure, and in that the spout merely washes a limited part of theinside wall of the container to be washed, with the remaining part beingwashed by discharged water so that complete and effective washing isimpossible. Further, even with the water discharging from the loweredmouth of the container, dust is apt to remain around said mouth. Thisinvention aims to remove these disadvantages and to attain the followingobjects.

One object of the invention is to strengthen the force of the spoutcleaning water by making use of the washing water and compressed air orhot water vapor at the same time and to control the force and the volumeof water by regulating adjustable valves of water and/ or air pipes.

Secondly, an object `of the invention is to provide an improved cleaningby giving the washed container a strong vibration through making boththe compressed air and water particles impact against the inside wall ofthe container in order to remove mechanically the adhering dust with arelatively small quantity of water.

Thirdly, an object of the invention is to provide an improved cleaningby discharging water with dust out of the washed container so that nowater remains inside of the container.

Fourthly, an object of the invention is to provide for the discharge ofwater so powerfully from the lowered opening of the container that itinduces the water to wash the outside of the opening of the container.

Lastly, an object of the invention is to dry the ampoule quickly afterwashing.

Other objects will be seen in the following detailed description,together with the attached drawing in which:

Fig. l is a schematic view showing diagrammatically one embodiment ofthe invention,

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view of a part of the apparatus shown inFig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the invention.

With reference to the accompanying drawing, a glass bottle or ampoule 1to be washed, with its nozzle or tube 2 down, is supported in a circularhole 4 of a horizontal plate 3. A carriage 5 arranged below thehorizontal plate 3 defines under the circular hole 4, many conicalapertures 6, each of which is slightly larger than the outside diameterof the tube 2. The tubes 2 of a number of ampoules are inserted in theapertures 6, so that the inserted ampoules can be held vertically.

Withinthe tube 2 of each bottle or ampoule to be washed, an injectortube 7 is inserted and the base 8 of tube 7 is projected into the upperchamber 11 of a washing case 14 containing water. The upper chamber 11is separated from a lower chamber 12 by a partition wall 10. The loweropening 15 of tube 7 faces aperture 13 formed in the partition plate 10.

Fig. l shows, for example, a pressure medium source such as an aircompressor or a boiler (for hot vapors) connected with the lower chamber12 of the washing case 14 through a pipe 24 and also through a pipe 23with the upper air space 21 in a distilled water pressure tank 17, thebottom wall 18 of which opens to the upper chamber 11 of the washingcase 14 through a conduit pipe 20. A water feed pipe 22 is provided atthe upper side wall of the water pressure tank 17. These conduit pipesare provided with respective valves 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29.

It is possible, as shown in Figs. l and 2, to supply the tank 17 withcompressed air or aqueous vapor under pressure through pipe 23 byopening the valves 26, 27, 28 and 29 and by closing the pipe 25.Distilled water will then be fed into the upper chamber 11 and thecompressed air or pressure vapor will be fed into the lower chamber 12and subsequently injected into the base 8 of the injector tube 7 throughthe aperture 13 of the partition plate 10. The injected compressed airor vapor accompanied by water from the upper chamber 11 is so powerfullyejected out of the top of the nozzle 7 that many water particles willimpact on the whole surface of the inside wall of the ampoule 1, makingsaid ampoule vibrate nely yet intensely, so as to remove all the dustadhering to said ampoule 1. After washing of the inside wall of theampoule 1 has been eiciently effected, the waste water descends swiftlydown through the space 16 between the tube 2 and the injector tube 7 tostream out from the lowest opening in a manner which displays fullejector action so that it activates the water around the outside surfaceof the tube 2 to wash its outside wall andflows out in the direction asindicated by the arrow. It is most advantageous for disinfectingpurposes that hot water be used as the washing fluid in the tank 17. Ifalkaline solutions or antiseptic uids are employed, a further cleansingis obtained.

When the valve 26 is closed after the Washing of the ampoule 1, hotvapor and/or air are sent to the lower `chamber 12 through the pipe 24and subsequently blown into the ampoule 1 by way of aperture 13, base 8and jet tube 7, so that the ampoule l will be quickly dried.

In Fig. 3, a nozzle 33 coupled to a pipe 32 which con nects with apressure source (not shown) is inserted in the head 31 of a pipe 30connected to the upper charnber 11 of the washing case 14, The inside ofthis head 31 also has a connection to a washing water tank 35 via aconduit 34. The lower chamber l2 of the case 14 is connected with thepipe 32 through the adjustable valve 37 by a conduit 36.

On the opening of valves 37 and 38, aqueous vapor under pressure isejected through pipe 32 from the nozzle 33 into the head 31 of theconnecting pipe 3G. The aqueous vapor together with water drawn from thetank 35 proceeds to the upper chamber 1l and at the same time theaqueous Vapor under pressure passes to the lower chamber 12 through thepipe 36, so that the ampoules 1 can be effectively washed in the samemanner as has been described.

What is claimed is:

l. Apparatus for washing containers, such as, glass bottles, ampoulesand the like; comprising a single horizontal, relatively thin platehaving a plurality of holes therein each adapted to receive a containertherein with the latter opening downwardly and supported solely by saidplate, a Washing casing disposed below said plate and having ahorizontal partition therein dividing the interior of the casing into anupper water chamber and a lower pressure chamber, said casing having aplurality of openings in the top thereof and in said partition alignedvertically with each other and withthe holesof"s'aic''plte,

and a plurality of one-piece injector tubes each having aj baseportionfitted. in a'related l,onesorfsaid operiirigsein the top fof AthecasingV and terminating Vat. itsfllowerhend above saidpartition in axialalignrnentwithrthefrelated one of said openings in s aidpartition: andfra'steml pori tion extending upwardly from said base portion above saidcasingintothe container receivedfin thefrelatedwhole of said plate. j lv 2.y Apparatusaccording to'l claim 1;further comprising a carriagedisposed between said plate and the` top. of saidcasing` and having aplurality ofdownwardlytapering apertures therein aligned with saidholes, of the plate anddirnensionedto` receive the downwardlyopeningends ofthev related containers with clearancefaroundlthe latter.

3. Anapparatus according to claim 2; further. comprising a tank forcontaining.'washingwate ay pressure source; and conduit` means havingadjustable valves therein connecting said upper and lower c harribersofythe casing to said tank and source, respectively.y

4. An apparatus accordngto claim 2;.furthe`r comprising* a tank forcontaining washing water, azpressure source, valved conduits connectingsaid source -to said lwer 'ch'ainbe of"th'e"casir'1g and't'o the top Vof-said'tank above the Washing water in the latter, valved conduitsconnecting the bottom of said tank to said upper chamber of the casing,and valved conduits opening into the top of said tank forsupplyingwashing water to the latter.

5. An apparatus according'to claim 2; further cornprisingatank forcontainingwashing water, a pressure source, valved conduits-extendingfromy said source to said lower chamber of the casing, an injectornozzle, a pipe depending from said injector nozzle into said'A tank, avalved` pipe extending from saidsource-tofsaid injector nozzle, and apipe extending Vtrom said injector nozzle into said upper chamber ofthecasing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS11,142,083., Dodge v June 8, 1915 1,724,639 Burch .Aug.. 13, 19291,952,675 Keyesk Mari-21,1934 1;97.8;721v Perkins Oct.V 30', 19342,658,011 V Price -,Nov. 3, 1953 2,691,381 Strunck Oct. 12,1954

